Kornimate/medical-research-clean huggingface dataset:
effectiveness of tens combined with task-related training on upper limb function in subacute hemiparetic stroke patients

Conditions: Upper Limb Function in Subacute Hemiparetic Stroke Patients

Summary: to study the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (tens) combined with occupational therapy on restoring the function of the weakened limb in subacute stroke patients.

to study the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (tens) combined with occupational therapy on restoring the function of the weakened limb in subacute stroke patients.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * patients diagnosed with a first-ever stroke, presenting with unilateral weakness and accompanying arm weakness, in the subacute phase (2 weeks - 6 months). * able to follow commands and cooperate in an active training program. * patients must consent to participate in the research project by signing a consent form. * aged between 18 and 80 years. * exhibiting mild to moderate muscle spasticity (modified ashworth scale \< 3). exclusion criteria: * patients with other neurological disorders, such as traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury, or those experiencing severe complications from treatment. * unable to tolerate the use of tens. * contraindications for using tens, such as having a pacemaker or infected skin lesions. * unstable or uncontrolled vital signs or other comorbidities. * communication difficulties that prevent following commands or cooperating in training. * participants who refuse or withdraw from the research.
identification of genetic, biochemical and hormonal factors contributing to atrial fibrillation

Conditions: Atrial Fibrillation

Summary: the purpose of this study is to establish a genebank repository of blood samples and data to generate information about the hereditary (genetic) basis of atrial fibrillation.

blood samples and data will be collected from subjects with atrial fibrillation and normal controls. the primary aim of future research using these samples is to identify mechanisms and pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation. through this information, we hope to identify targets for new therapies and improve knowledge and understanding of atrial fibrillation. identification of disease genes could improve strategies that prevent progression of atrial fibrillation to more persistent disease.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria for atrial fibrillation group: * male or female at least 18 years old * subjects with a history of or current atrial fibrillation * subjects able to give informed consent exclusion criteria for atrial fibrillation group: no history of atrial fibrillation inclusion criteria for controls: * male or female at least 18 years old * subjects with no history of atrial fibrillation * subjects able to give informed consent exclusion criteria for controls: history of atrial fibrillation

Keywords: atrial fibrillation genetics
prospective study fnb, is it time to abandon cytological assessment

Conditions: Pancreatic Neoplasms

Summary: endoscopic ultrasound (eus) is a minimally invasive procedure used by gastroenterologists to examine pancreatic masses and lesions. a fine needle is traversed through an endoscope and used to acquire tissue samples, which are then sent for pathology. the standard approach for diagnosing solid pancreatic lesions has been fine needle aspiration (fna) (han et al. 2016). however, the use of fna comes with its limitations, some of which include multiple needle passes to acquire fluid, the need for on-site cytologists, and decreased diagnostic yield. fine needle biopsy (fnb) is the latest approach being employed by endosonographers in lieu of fna. fnb confers several advantages over fnb. first, fnb requires fewer needle passes than fna to acquire tissue sample for immunohistochemical staining. in addition, fnb provides better tissues samples, greater sensitivity of the tissue core, and thus, improved diagnostic yields (tian et al. 2018). finally, fnb is more cost-effective than fna and relies on pathologists, instead of on-site cytologists, and preserves the tissue core (tian et al. 2018). the objective of this study is to establish a database of samples placed in formalin for patients who will undergo a fine-needle biopsy (fnb) for pathological evaluation without rapid on site cytological assessment.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * patient is greater than or equal to 18 years of age * patient is referred to eus-fnb for pancreatic mass lesions exclusion criteria: * patient is younger than 18 years of age * patient refused and/or unable to provide consent * patient is a pregnant woman

Keywords: pancreatic masses and lesions
a placebo controlled, double blind, randomised, 8-week phase iia proof of concept study to assess the efficacy and safety of akr 202 in patients with osteoarthritis pain

Conditions: Osteoarthritis

Summary: this proof of concept study will be a placebo controlled, randomised, double blind, parallel study. the purpose of the study is to determine efficacy for akr 202 in the treatment of osteoarthritis (oa) pain in the knee.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: patient is between 40 and 75 years of age with a clinical diagnosis of oa of the knee for more than 6 months prior to visit 1 based on clinical and radiographic criteria, and being of american rheumatism association (ara) functional class i, ii, or iii. patients should have an average pain level of between 4 and 8 on a numeric rating scale (nrs) for at least 5 of 7 days before the randomisation, when answering the question: please, rate the average pain in your index knee during the last 24 hours. prior to the study, patients should have been using pharmacological treatments, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (nsaids), acetaminophen or weak opioids for their oa pain on a regular basis (defined as having used nsaids, acetaminophen or weak opioids at least 10 days out of 30 days during the last month prior to the screening visit). exclusion criteria: patient has a concurrent medical/arthritic disease that could confound or interfere with evaluation of efficacy. patients with impaired renal function, defined as an estimated creatinine clearance less than or equal to 50 ml/min, or patients taking medications that might impair renal function. patient has new york heart association (nyha) class iii-iv congestive heart failure. the patient has a history of uncontrolled hypertension or a current blood pressure that in the opinion of the investigator makes the patient unsuitable for the study. patients with a trauma or surgery at the index knee within 3 months prior to screening.
the relation between macrophage migration inhibitory factor (mif) and 25(oh) vitamin d3 serum levels in rheumatoid arthritis

Conditions: Rheumatoid Arthritis

Summary: rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic debilitating inflammatory autoimmune disease of unknown etiology .

although the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis is multifactorial, the contribution of cytokines is undoubtedly pivotal in the progression of the inflammatory process. one cytokine gaining recognition for its importance in the inflammatory process is macrophage migration inhibitory factor . macrophage migration inhibitory factor is a multipotent cytokine involved in a broad range of functions including induction of proinflammatory mediators as well as demonstrated roles in both innate and adaptive immunity. it was originally identified in the culture medium of activated t lymphocytes as a soluble factor that inhibit random migration of macrophages . macrophage migration inhibitory factor induces synoviocytes expression of key proinflammatory genes including tnf, il-1, il-6, il-8. moreover, it also regulates the function of endothelial cells and b cells and is implicated in the control of synoviocytes proliferation and apoptosis via direct effects on the expression of the tumor suppressor protein p53. in rheumatoid arthritis, increased macrophage migration inhibitory factor levels have been demonstrated in serum, synovial fluid and tissue correlating with disease activity. hydroxyapatite 25 vitamin d3 is a hormone primarily synthesized in human skin under the stimulation of ultraviolet radiation. beyond its endocrine role in bone metabolism, vitamin d3 is endowed with remarkable immunomodulatory properties. the effects of vitamin d3 on the immune system include the enhancement of microbicidal ability of monocytes macrophages and the down-modulation of inflammatory cytokines produced by t lymphocytes. some epidemiological studies have reported an inverse association between serum 25(oh)vitamin d3 concentrations and rheumatoid arthritis disease activity and severity. in addition, some studies have reported inverse correlations between serum 25(oh)vitamin d3 and circulating inflammatory markers and cytokines.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * any patient aged 18 or older * satisfying 2010 acr/ eular rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria will be included . exclusion criteria: * any patient with arthritis other than rheumatoid arthritis * individuals with other autoimmune diseases
hif-1 alpha, vegf and mmp-8 levels in picf of smokers versus non smokers

Conditions: Peri-Implantitis

Summary: smoking is a major risk factor for developing peri-implantitis so the current study is comparing inflammatory markers in smokers versus non smokers to know if they have a potential role in pathogenesis of peri-implantitis

peri -implant crevicular fluid was obtained from seven smoker patients and then compared to peri-implant crevicular fluid from seven non smoker individuals. the peri-implant crevicular fluid was obtained using periopaper strips then analyzed using elisa kits of these markers; hif-1 alpha, vegf and mmp-8

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * medically free patients * individuals with restored implants placed one year or more before study enrollment * both genders * age range 20-50 years old exclusion criteria: * pregnant females * lactating females

Keywords: gingival crevicular fluid smoking inflammation
china refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder deep brain stimulation study

Conditions: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Summary: refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (ocd) is a disabling condition. deep brain stimulation (dbs) of the nucleus accumbens is the most tested therapeutic avenue for refractory ocd. however, large scale randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach are rare.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: 1. age between 18 and 60 years. 2. a primary diagnosis of ocd, defined according to the criteria of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition (dsm-iv). 3. chronic: disease duration of more than 5 years. 4. severity: a score on the yale-brown obsessive compulsive scale (y-bocs) of more than 25 or one subscale score of more than 15 ; a score for severity of illness on the clinical global impression (cgi) scale of more than 4. 5. disability: a score on the global assessment functioning (gaf) scale of less than 45. 6. refractory: a lack of response to drug therapy after adequate administration (defined as more than 12 weeks at the maximum tolerated dose) of at least three serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, one of which had to be clomipramine. adequate behavior therapy, defined as 20 sessions of exposure and response prevention (erp) with a therapist who has substantial expertise in ocd treatment. exclusion criteria: 1. schizophrenic disorder; bipolar disorder; substance abuse or dependence (except for dependence on nicotine), as assessed with the use of the mini-international neuropsychiatric interview (mini 6.0.0). 2. cluster a or b personality disorder according to dsm-iv criteria, as assessed with the use of the structured clinical interview ii. 3. a current severe major depressive episode, determined according to dsm-iv criteria (as assessed with the use of the mini 6.0.0) and defined by the hamilton depression rating scale-17 (hamd) score of more than 20 and a risk of suicide. 4. abnormal cognitive status (measured by moca), abnormal findings on functional magnetic resonance imaging (mri) of the brain; and no contraindications to surgery or anesthesia.

Keywords: neurosurgery deep brain stimulation exposure response prevention
optic nerve sheath diameters in idiopathic intracranial hypertension patients

Conditions: Pseudotumor Cerebri

Summary: idiopathic intracranial hypertensionis a type of increased intracranial pressure. diagnosis is made by lumbar puncture, which is an invasive technique. the relationship between icp and optic nerve sheath diameters (onsd) were examined in our study. thus, it was investigated whether the optic nerve sheath diameter could be used in the diagnosis of iih. in the present study, it was found that onsd measurement by optic usg significantly reflects increased icp and decreasing pressure via lp is rapidly reflects to onsd measurement. and it is suggested that onsd measurements by optic usg, a non-invasive method, can be used in the diagnosis and follow-up of iih patients.

backgrounds: idiopathic intracranial hypertension (iih); symptoms include headaches, blurred vision and papilledema which may lead to permanent visual loss. definitive diagnosis of iih usually requires the measurement of intracranial pressure (icp) via lumbar puncture (lp) which is an invasive technique. in our study, the relationship between icp and optic nerve sheath diameters (onsd) were examined. thus it was investigated whether optic nerve ultrasonography (usg) is a useful tool instead of lp for the diagnosis of iih. methods: a total of 25 patients who applied to the neurology clinics of ankara numune training and research hospital between may 2014 and december 2015 and were diagnosed with iih were included in the study. the control group consisted of 22 individuals who applied with other complaints than headaches. onsd was measured from both eyes before and after the lp. after pre-lp measurements were taken, opening and closing csf (cerebrospinal fluid) pressure was measured. in the control group, onsd was measured with optic usg.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * clinical diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension * adults aged 17-65 exclusion criteria: * in cranial imaging, if pathology such as tumor, sinus vein thrombosis is detected * people for whom lumbar puncture is contraindicated or cannot be performed

Keywords: idiopathic intracranial hypertension optic nerve sheath diameter measurement increased intracranial pressure lumbar puncture
two interventions for early stage dementia: a comparative efficacy trial

Conditions: Dementia

Summary: alzheimer's disease (ad) is increasing exponentially, with a projected quadrupling of cases by the mid 21st century. individuals with ad are at increased risk for a host of medical and psychiatric conditions, and evidence is accumulating supporting the efficacy and effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for improving their mood, function, health, and quality of life. such interventions are likely to be most effective when they are implemented during the early stages of dementia, when individuals and their family members are coping with the initial diagnosis and associated changes in abilities and activities. recent randomized clinical trials by the principal investigator and colleagues have developed two non-pharmacologic interventions to reduce the social, psychological, physical, and behavioral impact of dementia. this investigation is focused on facilitating their translation into ongoing community-based programs, such as those provided by alzheimer's association chapters, senior centers, retirement homes, and other health care providers. the core content of each intervention has been retained in order to maintain or improve their efficacy, and each has been modified to a 4-week group format to increase efficiency of delivery. these modified interventions (esml-social and esml-ex) will be compared to each other and to a usual care (uc) control group. outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 1-month post treatment, and 4 month follow-up. primary outcomes at the 1-month assessment include: social activity participation, family communication, physical activity participation, and physical function. primary outcomes at 4-month follow up include overall quality of life and depression. it is hypothesized that esml-ex and esml-social both will have greater improvements than uc. it is hypothesized that esml-social will have greater improvements in social participation and family communication than esml-ex and uc. it is hypothesized that esml-ex will have greater improvements in physical activity participation and physical functioning than esml-social and uc. if successful, these 4-week programs may be developed into "modules" that can be incorporated into programming for individuals with early stage dementia in a variety of community settings.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * dementia diagnosis * clinical dementia rating scale score * care partner agrees to participate with care recipient * care recipient lives in the community or a retirement home * both care partner and recipient speak english exclusion criteria: * significant physical or psychiatric illness in either care partner or care recipient that would prevent participant in a exercise program * planning to move out of study area during the 4 month follow-up period

Keywords: aerobic exercise alzheimer's disease burden and stress caregiving issues quality of life early stage memory loss
observing the changes of endocrine and metabolism in patients with thalassemia major

Conditions: Thalassemia Major

Summary: patient with thalassemia major have many endocrine diseases, such as hypopituitarism, hypothyroidism, hypoparathyroidis, osteoporosis, and etc.. these problems may be due to anemia itself or related to iron deposition. this study aimed to investigate the endocrine aspect of thalassemia major patients in taiwan in order to introduce early intervention or treatment in the future.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * clinical diagnosis of thalassemia major * patients of 20-85 years old exclusion criteria: * patients younger than 20 years old. * patients older than 85 years old. * patients who are pregnant
aims to explore the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of sctb14 in adult patients with advanced malignant solid tumours.

Conditions: Advanced Malignant Solid Tumours

Summary: this study aims to explore the safety, tolerability, pk characteristics, immunogenicity, and preliminary anti-tumor efficacy of sctb14 as a monotherapy in adult patients with advanced malignant solid tumours. this study is an open label, multicentre, dose-escalation and dose-expansion phase i/ii clinical trial.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: 1. voluntarily sign the informed consent form (icf); 2. male or female, 18 years old ≤ age ≤ 75 years old; 3. survival duration more than 3 months; 4. ecog score ≤ 1 point; 5. participants in phase ia (dose-escalation phase) are required to meet the following criteria: histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of advanced malignant solid tumour; 6. participants in phase ib (dose-expansion phase) and phase ii are required to meet the following criteria: histologically or cytologically confirmed specific type advanced malignant solid tumours; 7. adequate organ and bone marrow function. exclusion criteria: 1. participants with brainstem, meningeal, spinal metastases, or compression; active central nervous system metastases; 2. other malignancies diagnosed within 5 years prior to the enrollment, except effectively treated malignant solid tumour (such as basal cell carcinoma of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, cervical cancer in situ, breast cancer in situ, etc.); 3. history of hypertensive crisis or hypertensive encephalopathy; presence of uncontrolled hypertension. history of arterial thrombosis or deep vein thrombosis within 6 months prior to enrollmen; 4. presence of any active autoimmune disease or a history of autoimmune disease with an expected recurrence; 5. received chemotherapy, immunotherapy, biologic therapy, or other anti-tumor treatments within 4 weeks before enrollment; 6. need for immunosuppressive drugs within 2 weeks prior to enrollment or anticipated during the study; 7. significant coagulopathy or other evident risk of bleeding; 8. major surgery or significant trauma within 4 weeks prior to enrollment; presence of unhealed skin wounds, surgical sites, trauma sites, severe mucosal ulcers, or fractures, or if the investigator deems the participant unsuitable for the study; 9. history of permanent discontinuation of immunotherapy due to immune-related toxicity or occurrence of ≥ grade 3 iraes; 10. history of severe allergies, severe drug allergies (including unapproved investigational drugs), or known allergy to any component of the imp; 11. history of organ transplantation or stem cell transplantation; 12. pregnant or breastfeeding female; women of childbearing potential with positive pregnancy test within 7 days before the enrollment; participants (including males of childbearing potential and their female partners, and females of childbearing potential and their male partners) unwilling to use medically recognized effective contraception during the study and for 6 months after treatment ends.
postoperative sequence chemoradiotherapy compared with chemotherapy alone for advanced gastric cancer

Conditions: Gastric Cancer

Summary: gastric cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies in china; the survival rate remains poor despite potentially curative resections. complete surgical resection is the only potentially curative therapy available to patients with gastric cancer. however, even after a complete resection with negative margins, many patients will experience recurrence. in recent years, the radiation therapy in the carcinoma of the stomach represents a new issue that should be addressed accompanying the development of radial physics and radial biology, the clinical application of computed tomographic (ct) simulation and digital reconstitution technique, especially the application of 3-dimensional conformal and intensity modulated radiation therapy. radiation therapy plus concurrent chemotherapy has been demonstrated to cause a significant improvement in overall and disease-free survival according to intergroup trial 0116/swog 9008. so the investigators designed the trial to see whether a postoperative sequence chemoradiotherapy including oxaliplatin fluorouracil-based regimen can improve survival for advanced gastric cancer.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: 1. postoperative histologically confirmed advanced adenocarcinoma of the stomach or the gastroesophageal junction. 2. age of 18 to 75, karnofsky score higher than 70. 3. postoperative histologically conformed metastasis in perigastric lymph nodes and/or tumor invasion to muscularis propria or subserosa, with or without positive incisal margin. 4. no severe functional damage of major organ, normal blood cell, normal liver and kidney function. 5. no clinical findings of distant metastasis. 6. predictive survival time longer than 6 months.

Keywords: gastric cancer sequence chemoradiotherapy olf regimen survival rate